Virtual Production at DNEG
Artificial backdrops have been used in movie-making since its very beginnings to create the illusion of large sets or locations. In recent years, DNEG has used digital front projection and large LED video walls displaying pre-rendered content to take this technique into the 21st Century, in its Oscar-winning work on films such as Christopher Nolan’s ‘Interstellar’ and Damien Chazelle’s ‘First Man’.
Today’s Virtual Production processes leverage advances in computing power, VFX expertise and game-engine technology to:
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create environments that now interact with the live-action, allowing filmmakers to make real-time decisions and changes
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create backgrounds which move in full perspective with respect to the camera’s position, updating in real-time as the camera moves
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allow the production to move from one convincingly detailed and photo-real environment to another without leaving the stage
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allow final shots to be captured in camera, without the need to replace the backgrounds in post-production
In effect, locations from all over the world can be brought to the stage with compelling photo-realism.
Our approach is to utilise cutting-edge technology in pursuit of our clients’ storytelling goals, and our tools are designed to feel familiar to the directors and DOPs that we collaborate with.
Our Virtual Production offer covers the full range of services, including:
Virtual location scouting – capture, create and explore virtual locations for use in the Virtual Production process
Virtual camera – blocking and framing decisions can be explored in virtual locations using VR headsets and virtual cameras
Real-time mixed reality VFX – allowing in-camera set extensions and live compositing of animated and motion capture controlled characters into virtual locations
LED volumetric stages – fully immerse actors in virtual sets with real-time in-camera VFX and environments created with state-of-the-art LED volumetric stages
